Excellent Care in Germany!!
Our journey to Germany began in Pensacola, FL. to Memphis, TN and on to Minneapolis. After a three hour lay over in Minneapolis, we boarded the plane and set our course for Amsterdam and Bremen, Germany.
We arrived at the airport in Bremen, Germany on January 19, 2004. There was an employee from the hospital there waiting to take us to our destination. After a short 20 minute ride, we arrived at the hospital campus.
I say ‘campus’ because there is a restaurant and a bed and breakfast, for the spouse or significant other to stay in while the patient is in the hospital, a therapy building and the hospital itself. All are within an easy walking distance...unless you're the one with the back trouble. Then they bring you a wheelchair if you need one. The patient usually gets to stay in the B&B only on that first night.
First of all, let me tell you that everyone at Stenum Orthopaedic Hospital was fantastic! Friendly, competent and most speak fluent English. They were ready for us.
The surgery process at Stenum is unique. Each American patient is roomed with another American. So, I was assigned to a room with a woman from Ohio. Carol, my roommate was introduced to me by Malte, via the internet, before we even left the states. It was comforting to have someone there who understood exactly what I had been through... just how much it hurt to get that far! And Carol understood.
As it turned out Carol's husband Greg, is a pastor and we are active Christians in our own local church. God had a great plan... he was watching over us the whole time! We, as couples, had prayed about this entire process, the fear of leaving our country for a difficult surgery, the financial stress of traveling, not to mention the hospital bill, leaving children behind, taking leave from work...lots of stress… but we trusted God.
So, during this time, Carol and I saw the best in our husbands shine through! I saw Don in his "finest hour.” He took such good care of me, loved me, and encouraged me... always there, always watching... and praying, helping me walk and do my exercises, even when they hurt. To the Lord, Don is a good and faithful servant. To me, he is a gift!
And Pastor Greg, Carol's husband, was also incredible. I leaned on him as a spiritual leader for those three weeks and he never let me down. He prayed with us and for us, all the while he took excellent care of Carol!
The Lord has graciously blessed us with our husbands. We thank them for their love, their compassion and their support and encouragement.
Our story continues with a personal account of ADR surgery at http://adrbasics.blogspot.com
Our journey to Germany began in Pensacola, FL. to Memphis, TN and on to Minneapolis. After a three hour lay over in Minneapolis, we boarded the plane and set our course for Amsterdam and Bremen, Germany.
We arrived at the airport in Bremen, Germany on January 19, 2004. There was an employee from the hospital there waiting to take us to our destination. After a short 20 minute ride, we arrived at the hospital campus.
I say ‘campus’ because there is a restaurant and a bed and breakfast, for the spouse or significant other to stay in while the patient is in the hospital, a therapy building and the hospital itself. All are within an easy walking distance...unless you're the one with the back trouble. Then they bring you a wheelchair if you need one. The patient usually gets to stay in the B&B only on that first night.
First of all, let me tell you that everyone at Stenum Orthopaedic Hospital was fantastic! Friendly, competent and most speak fluent English. They were ready for us.
The surgery process at Stenum is unique. Each American patient is roomed with another American. So, I was assigned to a room with a woman from Ohio. Carol, my roommate was introduced to me by Malte, via the internet, before we even left the states. It was comforting to have someone there who understood exactly what I had been through... just how much it hurt to get that far! And Carol understood.
As it turned out Carol's husband Greg, is a pastor and we are active Christians in our own local church. God had a great plan... he was watching over us the whole time! We, as couples, had prayed about this entire process, the fear of leaving our country for a difficult surgery, the financial stress of traveling, not to mention the hospital bill, leaving children behind, taking leave from work...lots of stress… but we trusted God.
So, during this time, Carol and I saw the best in our husbands shine through! I saw Don in his "finest hour.” He took such good care of me, loved me, and encouraged me... always there, always watching... and praying, helping me walk and do my exercises, even when they hurt. To the Lord, Don is a good and faithful servant. To me, he is a gift!
And Pastor Greg, Carol's husband, was also incredible. I leaned on him as a spiritual leader for those three weeks and he never let me down. He prayed with us and for us, all the while he took excellent care of Carol!
The Lord has graciously blessed us with our husbands. We thank them for their love, their compassion and their support and encouragement.
Our story continues with a personal account of ADR surgery at http://adrbasics.blogspot.com
posted by Catherine | 3:16 PM
